The Word of God says, "There is one body" (Eph. 4:4), not two, nor three, but one_only one.
That "one body" is the body of Christ (Eph. 1:23). Thus, every true Christian is to Christ what
a man’s foot, hand, etc., is to that man (1 Cor. 12:12-27). Nowhere in Scripture do we read or
find the idea of a Baptist, a Methodist, a Presbyterian, or any other body. The only thing found
there is the one body of Christ, formed by the "one Spirit" of God. The relationship therefore of
all true Christians is that of fellow-members of the one body of Christ_a divine relationship
entered into at conversion by the Spirit’s baptism, and consummated in the glory of heaven to
which the Church is destined.
Christians assuming any other relationship than this with one another, associating themselves
together on any other principle than this, are therefore sectarian. They form another tie than that
which God has formed, and by which He binds all His children of this dispensation together.
But the members of that one body are scattered all over the earth. They cannot assemble together
in one place. They therefore assemble in any locality convenient to those who live in that locality.
There may be "two or three," or two or three hundred or thousand; Christ, the Saviour and Head
of the Church, has pledged Himself to be present in the midst of them thus assembled (Matt.
18:20). He is their Center of assembling as the ark was of old the gathering-center of Israel. He
is also the attractive Object of all their hearts_every one rejoicing in the presence, to faith, of the
Lord Jesus. These local churches, or assemblies, are, of course, even as the persons who compose
them, "one body in Christ, and every one members one of another" (Rom. 12:5). If new converts
be received in one locality, they are received there on behalf of the whole Church of God
universal, and thus introduced into her fellowship_her fellowship, mark, not her membership, for
they were already made members by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Should one move where he
is unknown, a letter of commendation gives him full access to all privileges everywhere. If one
walks in evil and is put under discipline in one place, he is under discipline in the whole Church
universal until he repents.
All these local assemblies are, for their doctrine and their practice, primarily responsible to the
Lord, inasmuch as "Christ is the head of the Church" (Eph. 5:23), and should any of them fall
into evil doctrine or practice He may visit them with judgment, as in 1 Cor. 11:27-32, or take
away its candlestick altogether as threatened in Rev. 2:5. They are also responsible to one another,
for all "are members one of another" (Rom. 12:5). No local assembly can act for itself alone. Its
actions affect all others, bind all others, and render thus all others responsible with it. It must
therefore, when questioned, be open in the fullest way to investigation, as it is accountable to all
the rest. The sense of this responsibility toward one another produces wholesome care in all that
is done in each place.
But, someone may say, this is all very true, and sound doctrine, and in accord with all Scripture,
but Christendom is full of divisions and parties, unsubject to each other, which in turn abound
with persons who are in no way subject to Scripture or to the Lord. What then are you going to
do? Walk apart from them, and, by scriptural teaching and godly labor after the fashion of the
apostles, form a fellowship on the principle of the whole Church of God, to practice among
themselves what the whole Church should practice. It may be small and weak, and cause
opposition and contempt, as in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, when they were building afresh
upon the old foundations; but it will please God. The mere attempt will please Him. Faithful labor
at it He will bless; and when the Lord returns He will manifest that every "living stone" which
had been set on the old foundations had been set in a place of special blessing_blessing for
eternity.
(From Help and Food, Vol. 29.)